CBC News: Clean energy projects are booming in Indigenous communities, with big gains in the number of solar, bioenergy, wind, hydro and battery storage projects.

Roughly 200 major projects are in operation, along with 2,000 more smaller-scale projects, according to a recent report from Indigenous Clean Energy.

Many Indigenous communities have turned to renewable energy projects to replace diesel as their main energy source, especially in remote areas in the North, the report said. 

“In our experience, when communities are at the heart of energy work, energy projects are much more impactful and sustainable,” said Freddie Campbell, director of energy and climate at Indigenous Clean Energy, a network that helps First Nations, Inuit, and Métis start new clean energy projects.

Campbell said the shift toward renewable energy began two decades ago and has ramped up in recent years. 

Since 2017, the number of medium and large Indigenous-led clean energy projects has jumped by 30 per cent. 

“It takes a lot of hard work,” Campbell said in an interview. “The barriers to do a community-led clean energy project — an Indigenous-led clean energy project — are massive.”

Here are a few recent examples, ahead of National Truth and Reconciliation Day on Sept. 30.

Solar to power a community

Last April, Anahim Lake, a small community in central British Columbia, announced plans for a solar farm spanning 12 hectares at the site of an old saw mill. 

The 1,500 residents of Anahim Lake, home of the Ulkatcho First Nation, and surrounding small communities rely entirely on costly diesel for power. The project is expected to reduce the use of diesel by more than 60 per cent. 

“We believe that solar energy will be the source of our ability, for a lot of our families, to live off the grid,”  Chief Lynda Price said. 

“We’re really excited that this is the first stage of our solar power, and I believe our future generations will benefit.”

Electricity from wood chips

For years, a sawmill in northwestern Saskatchewan had simply burned its wood waste — including bark, wood chips, and sawdust.

The Meadow Lake Tribal Council, which is made up of nine First Nations in northwestern Saskatchewan, owns the sawmill. 

It now uses the leftover wood from trees cut down for lumber to power 5,000 homes, thanks to a new bioenergy plant. The plant also breaks down harmful pollutants into ash that’s sold to farmers.

“It’s something new, something that I’m excited about because it’s new technology and good for the environment,” said Paul Opikokew, who works at the facility and is a member of Canoe Lake Cree Nation.

Wind farm leads to economic windfall

Neqotkuk First Nation is behind a wind farm in New Brunswick that is helping generate power for nearby Saint John, and revenue for the community. 

The wind farm consists of 10 turbines, each standing more than 200 metres tall, on unceded territory outside the city. 

The community expects to reap a $100-million windfall over the next 25 years.
Neqotkuk Chief Ross Perley said the money has helped fund recreational programs and services for youth and elders.

Battery storage

An electricity battery storage facility, billed as the largest in Canada, is being built on Indigenous land in southwestern Ontario. 

The facility is expected to be able to store  250 megawatts of electricity, which would more than double province’s capacity. 

Six Nations of the Grand River and the federal government are among the investors. Construction of the project has put $50 million into the community, and generated jobs for workers from Six Nations of the Grand River.

The project will draw and store electricity from the grid when power demand is low and return it when demand increases. 

— Ben Shingler